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Topic: Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Sekka' (Read 6652 times)

This 'Sekka' hinoki was featured in Bonsai Art of Japan Episode 9. That was the original styling of the tree. Last year, we repotted the cypress into a shallow container and it was decided the movement was to the left not the right. The most recent styling entailed removal of about 1/3 of the structural branches and major thinning of secondary branching to compact the canopy. A new BAoJ episode will be released next year that documents the most current styling.

Here the cultivar is called 'Chirimen' instead of 'Sekka'. It seems to be quite a task to grow one with a single trunk (not to mention a lifetime to get to the size of this fabulous one that you styled).

It is my opinion that 'Sekka' and 'Chirimen' are different cultivars. Iseli Nursery had them starting when I interned there and have been producing quite a few since then. The growth rate is much faster on Chirimen and has a more "spirally" habit. Sekka grows about half and inch a year or one inch if really happy. Chirimen can grow maybe 6 inches.

Thanks. It's one of my favorite trees I've styled and looks much less stylized once it fills out; I straddle the fence on super crisp new school and classic styling techniques.

It is currently on a 5-10 year plan at Kouka-en. Fujikawa-san wants it to have a massive base first so not for sale yet. If for some strange reason importing a tree to America becomes logical, I will buy it.

I straddle the fence on super crisp new school and classic styling techniques.

I’d say you hit the nail right on the head with the styling! Great job. I've seen Hinoki's in nurseries around Central California, but never for bonsai. What are your thoughts? Can they survive a spell of 100 degree days if kept moist and shaded?

Survive, likely yes. Happy, likely not. Dave W, hinoki can tolerate mid-summer blasts of heat in Orgeon on black weed fabric and gravel if the media doesn't dry out. That's for landscape material. Bonsai are more sensitive. As John said, they don't like dry or tropical environments. They really hate drying winds and dust too. I've never grown them there as bonsai. I'll defer to locals.

I have four little Sekkas in plastic pots. I took my phone out to the polyhouse and showed the picture of this tree to them, I then chanted "grow , grow, grow". Think it will work? Otherwise I am on the 100 year plan......

this is such a beautiful tree and a great example of your skill Owen. Really a great eye in giving this depth and the feeling of a giant tree. Congrats this is beautiful, there is a nursery near me that has some really beautiful hinoki for sale. They all look like bonsai possibilities, can I take a few pics and post them on this thread to see if you think so too? If you do like any, I'll spot you and bring it to mabs for you...

Sekka like faster drainage in my opinion and a rest period of about 1.5-2 years between styling. Much like other conifers, they like to regroup after styling and grow unrestrained for a while. I fertilized the fool out of this one while I was here and asked my sempai to do so this year as well.

It is rare that I like a Chamaecyparis obtusa in America. I have about 10 now that are good. Bought some from Meehan's Miniatures that were grown from cuttings and stayed in a container the whole time. Bad graft unions only get worse with time fyi. If they don't have interior branches now, they won't ever without grafting. A final note is that field grown ones are often cinched tightly causing soil to mound above the root flare. They are sometimes field-potted in Oregon so the root flare can be as much as 6'' down in my experience.